The Honour of a Traitor
by pepe ok
Summary: what if when Mulan got injured, Shang stood by her, and ChiFu persued them? They still have to save the empire,but what can a couple of fugitives do? Romancey. COMPLETED!
1. The Fugitives

Chapter the first

Hi! I'm back! I just finished writing my first fic and I'm on to my second. This one will hopefully be longer, but I'm just going to let the story go where it wants. It might take me a bit longer to get each chapter up because I want them to be long.

Summary: this is during the first movie. It's where Mulan gets injured, but Shang flat-out refuses to kill Mulan, but instead of Chi-Fu letting it go, he and some other soldiers persue Mulan. Mulan and Shang run away and eventually go back to the palace.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's Mulan or anything like that.

Authors note: this story starts when Mulan is discovered by the medic. In this story, The gang of three and Shang are friends, as they are with "Ping."

Pain shot through Mulan's body. The last thing she could remember was Shang telling her to hold on. Her side ached and her head throbbed. She was inside a tent lying under a wool blanket. As her memory became clearer, she remembered the avalanche and Shan-yu. But he was dead now, right?

Outside the tent, Shang paced nervously. His bravest soldier was wounded gravely. The medic came over to him and whispered with him.

"He'll be all right sir." He told Shang. "Or rather _she'll_ be all right" Shang could hardly believe what he was hearing. She? Ping was a girl? It couldn't be. He ran into the tent, wanting to see for himself. Maybe it had been a mistake. He saw Ping lying there wearily. She smiled when she saw Shang enter. Forgetting what she had to hide, Mulan sat up. Shang's eyes narrowed. Her shape clearly gave her away. Mulan noticed Shang staring at her chest and immediately gathered blankets around her.

"I can explain." She said. Anger blinded Shang. _Traitor_. He thought. He wanted to storm out then, but he also wanted to hear why she had done this. "Ping" had saved him, so at least he could listen to her. Shang sat down beside the frightened woman.

"I'm listening." He said through clenched teeth. The lady's eyes were full of terror and part relief because Shang was willing to listen.

"My name is Mulan" she told him timidly. " I came for my father." Shang couldn't hold it in any more.

" You know the law! You could be killed for this! It's treason!" Mulan cowered from him, afraid he was going to hurt her.

"I had to! It was the only way!" she said, eyes beginning to cloud over from fear and defeat. " I deserve whatever is coming to me." She stared Shang in the eyes. It was then he noticed how beautiful they were. "You do believe me, don't you?"

" I gave you my trust and I'm sticking by it." He told her solemnly. Her eyes opened wider.

Mulan was about to speak when in walked Chi-Fu. He pulled Mulan to her feet and dragged her out the tent door.

"Wait! There's more to know than you think!" Shang called after him. He hopped to his feet and hurried out of the tent.

"I knew there was something wrong with you!" Chi-Fu screamed in his squeaky, pompous voice. "A woman! Treacherous snake!" He threw Mulan to the ground. The rest of the soldiers watched in awe as it was revealed that their friend and comrade was a woman. Shang watched this display with his brain swirling in confusion. _She lied to me; she lied to china! Then again, she saved my life._ _You can't let Chi-Fu do this to her._

"Captain, you know what must be done." Chi-Fu said as he handed Shang a sword. Shang looked at Mulan, her eyes staring bravely up at him. She knew that he could easily kill her right then. He then looked down at the sword and made a decision.

"No." he said firmly, throwing the sword to the ground. Everyone's jaw dropped. Chi-Fu was the first to speak.

"What do you mean, no?" he asked, "she's a worthless woman. She lied to you and to China!" Shang didn't back down.

"I said no!" he cried. " She saved me, saved all of us! If you ask me, that makes up for her betrayel.." He stood next to her. Mulan was in shock. She _had _betrayed the army, yet Shang refused to hurt her.

"I am above you, captain! I am in charge hear, and my orders are to be followed, and defending her and not obeying the law puts you in as much trouble as that creature! " Chi-Fu screamed. " if you won't do it, I will!" He grabbed the sword and sauntered toward Mulan. Yao, Ling and Chien Po had been watching in shock until then. They protested too.

"No! you can't" shouted Yao.

"Captains' right! She saved us all!" cried Ling, stepping forward. "Ping" was their friend and the captain had put his neck on the line to help her, so they thought Chi-Fu had no business hurting either one of them.

"You can't overpower my decision! I make the rules here!" Shouted Chi-Fu. The gang huddled and and turned around to see Chi-Fu waiting for a response. His response came not in words, but in a punch. Ling hit Chi-Fu straight across the face and Yao and Chien-Po piled on him and held him down.

"Get out of here!" cried Yao, addressing Mulan and Shang. " We'll keep him here!"

Wasting no time, Shang grabbed Mulan by the wrist and pulled her to where the horses were. They heaved themselves onto their horses and galloped off. The soldiers who were watching no longer kept silent.

"What are you doing?" they shouted as they tried to pull the gang off Chi-Fu. Eventually, they succeded and held them down.

"You jerks! That woman is a traitor!" one cried at them. " Such actions should result in you put in prison for life!" Chi-Fu stood and waked up to them.

"I may not have the girl or your captain, but I have my loyal soldiers and you." He sneered. " You will come back to the imperial city with us and I will decide your sentence there. You, men!" he barked, pointing to a few of the remaining soldiers. "Make sure these gentleman are put in the carriage and stay there. Now, let us depart for the imperial city to celebrate our victory!" The men cheered and one soldier bound Ling, Yao and Chien-Po's wrists and ankles and put them in the carriage being pulled by a soldiers' horse.

"The emperor will never believe you!" called Yao. Chi-Fu turned and gave him a dead cold look. His serious expression turned to a delighted smirk.

" I think he will." He said and turned to mount his horse. The gang sat, still absorbing what had happened so suddenly. They all sighed.

"We stick up for our friends and look what happens." Said Ling in dispair.

"We're in for it now," said Yao. " So are Shang and- what was her name?"

"Mulan? Something like that." Answered Ling.

"Do not worry my friends." Comforted Chien Po, " The ancestors tell me that we did the right thing." They were sitting on some loose hay in the carriage, unable to escape with the soldiers at either end of it.

"How could anyone support Chi-Fu?" Asked Yao. "he's a pompous old ba!" It made no sense. Shang had refused to hurt Mulan and Chi-Fu not only earned the support of the recruits, was going to try to convince the emperor that what they had done had been wrong.

Right now, I'm not so much worried about what happens to us, I'm worried about what will happen to Shang and Mulan!" Said Ling, "Chi-Fu never really liked Shang very much, and this is not what he needs."

" Come now" said Chien Po in his usual gentle tone. " Shang is smart and if a woman can destroy an entire army, I'm sure they will be all right." That reminded all of them that had happened during the fight. How "Ping" had bravely taken a cannon and saved them all. There was still more they wanted to find out about this Mulan lady.

Meanwhile, Shang and Mulan were galloping through a forest looking for some type of shelter where they could rest. Neither of them had said anything. The silence was rather awkward. Mulan was afraid to speak because she was afraid that Shang might be mad at her. Shang couldn't think of anything to say. What could he say to a woman who had lied, but also saved his life? Soon they came to a small cave carved in the side of a mountain.

"Let's stop here." Shang suggested, dismounting. Mulan followed him. They walked into the cave and inspected it for occupancy. "I'll make a fire" Mulan agreed and helped him gather wood. The silence was killing both of them.

"So, uh, do you have anything that maybe I could use for clothing?" She then remembered that all she had for a shirt was the bandages and a blanket around her shoulders.

"Uh, sure." Shang answered uncomfortably. "Here." He took off his cape and tore a whole through the center for Mulan to wear like a poncho.

"Thank you." Mulan answered politely. "I also wanted to thank you for letting me go. You now you've got yourself in trouble, don't you?"

"I know, but why should you be killed for saving your father?" Shang asked. Mulan smiled, but her smile was a half.

"Mulan, I think there is more to this than you are telling me." He said. Mulan sighed and began her story.

There's the first chapter! Hope you liked it. Please review and include the following question in it : should I bring Mushu into the story? If so, should Shang know about him? Thanks!


	2. The Past Comes Back

Chapter the second

Hi! Thanks for the reviews. Where I left off last chapter was Mulan beginning to start her story. In this chapter, I will be doing a past flashback. I know a lot of people have done that, so if you think anything is some sort of copy from your story (which it isn't supposed to be) feel free to include that in your review and I will be happy to put your name in my next chapter. Ahem…

Disclaimer: I don't own Mulan and I am not making any profit by writing this story

They sat around the weak flame of the fire they had made. Mulan took a deep breath and began her tale:

" When I was a little girl, about six, I was out in the market. I was a bit careless and the whole honour dealie didn't strike me as anything important. Anyway, I was playing with my dog, Little brother, when I couldn't find him. I called for him and went looking for him."

FLASHBACK # 1

A little version of Mulan in a red dress browsed the market streets with her little dog. (ok, Little brother isn't that old, but work with me) She ran up and down chasing her pup. He ran circles, enjoying the game until he led himself astray into the baker's tent. Mulan stopped dead at the door.

"Little brother, come back!" she called after him. She didn't dare enter further into the tent. The baker had a reputation of hating children and everything about them. Apparently, he had never been a child himself. She didn't know what to do. If she found her parents who were elsewhere in the market, they would scold her for running off and being careless. Mulan plopped down by the side of the road to think when she heard the awful voice of the baker behind her.

" Do you know anything about this flea bag?" he said, holding Little brother by the scruff of the neck. Mulan flipped her head around and got to her feet, unaware that a pair of dark eyes were watching the display from afar.

" This mutt ate half a loaf of bread and smashed one of my vases!" the baker shouted. Mulan's fear grew.

"I-uh, um.." she stammered. "I'm sorry." The baker was unmoved. He raised his hand.

" Dishonourable little girls don't belong here, filthy brat!" Mulan winced and braced herself to be struck by the baker's hand, but before she felt it, she felt a hand grab the back of her dress, pulling her out of the baker's reach. The baker missed her and was put off his balance.

Mulan ended up on the ground, sitting beside the person who had temporarily escaped her from the baker's wrath; a little boy who looked to be about a year or two older than Mulan, with deep black eyes and black top-knotted hair. Mulan looked into his eyes. They were strong and brave, yet gentle. His name was Li Shang. Mulan looked at him and he looked back at her. The boy was about to speak when they realized they were not out of the woods yet.

When the baker regained his balance, he was angrier than ever. He immediately recognized the boy.

"You again!" he shouted, pointing at the boy. "Hasn't your father taught you how to behave properly yet?" He turned to Mulan.

"And you!" he shouted. There was now a very small crowd of people who were very interested, but pretended not to watch. " Learn to keep that mutt under control! Your parents must be disgraced with you." Then the boy spoke up.

"With all due respect sir, what happened was not her fault." He spoke firmly, while politely. It was quite a sight; a little boy speaking defensively to an elder. The baker's face swelled with rage. He was about to speak when a voice rang out.

"STOP!" Everyone parted to see a tall man in armor staring straight at Mulan and the boy. You could see in his eyes that he was angry and that he had the power to make people listen to him.

"Father." Whispered the boy. Mulan noticed the boys eyes fill with fear. He got to his feet and slowly and timidly walked toward his father. Mulan was still seated on the ground, shocked. She didn't know what to expect. The man stared at his son with a drop-dead withering look. The boy began to realize that he had shamed his father by sticking up for the girl. He lowered his head as his father took a hold of hi ear and dragged him off. The baker gave Mulan one more cold look before dropping little brother as the crowd dispersed. She sat on her knees, tears coming to her eyes. If what the boy had done had been a disgrace, she would have been even more of it. The sky clouded over as she got to her feet and walked to find her parents.

END FLASHBACK # 1

"…Since then I've been very concious of how my behavior effects my family's name." Mulan finished her story and looked at Shang for a response. Shang was taking all this in. The incident in the market tweaked his memory.

"What happened to that boy?" he asked.

"Oh, I guess his father bawled him out" she shrugged. "It's a pity, too because he seemed to share my views. I haven't seen him since."

"Actually, you have." Shang said. Mulan looked confused.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because I remember defending a little girl in the market when I was seven years old!" he said back. "Look at me, Mulan. Just look. Do you see anything familiar? Anything at all?" Mulan stared into his eyes. They were strong and brave, yet gentle. In her head she could picture those eyes. The only difference was that they were on a seven-year-old boy. It _was_ Shang.

"I don't believe it!" Mulan exclaimed. "You were that boy from the market!" Shang smiled radiantly back at Mulan who then looked at Shang and asked:

"What happened after your father took you away?" She asked cautiosly. Shang grimaced.

"Not a particularly pleasant memory." He said. "…

FLASHBACK # 2

Shang's ear was still being pulled as his father, general Li Juang, lead him to a quiet spot at the edge of the market. Little Shang was terrified of what was to come as his father grabbed him by the shoulders and swung around to face him in the eyes. His father spoke.

"What in the name of the ancestors did you think you were doing?" he said, not yelling, but it still would have scared any sane seven- year -old out of his wits.

"Do you care nothing for our family's honour? Does it mean anything to you? What will people think if I have a son who speaks what his opinions are? They will think you have been poorly raised and taught as well as that girl!" He stopped there to take a breath. Shang was cowering away from him.

" But all I did was stand up for her." He said in a voice that could've come from a mouse. This enraged his father further.

" All you did? No! You shamed our ancestors! A proper young man does not speak that way to elders, much less in defense! As punishment for your foolishness, you shall have no dinner tonight and will spend tomorrow picking up every single grain of stray rice from the field!" His father shouted before dragging Shang off home. Shang winced. Every grain? That would take forever! He was already starving and the thought of no dinner made him even more so. He sighed. His little seven-year-old mind didn't understand it. If he disgraced his ancestors by following what he thought was right, then the only way out of it must be to do exactly what anyone else said. Yeah, that made sense.

END FLASHBACK # 2

"…And since then I've always kept my mouth shut and obeyed what I had been told." Shang ended. The silence that followed was rather awkward, but just from these stories, they felt connected. The past hour had gone by quickly and neither of them were thinking any longer about the trouble that lay ahead.

That's chapter 2. Sorry about how long it took me to update. I went on vacation over March break and had no access to a computer. Anywho, please review this chapter!


	3. Attempt one:Failed

Chapter the third

Hi! Thanks again 4 the reviews! Here comes chapter 3!

It had been a dank night for the gang of three, trapped in that tiny carriage, pondering what was to come. They were all asleep except Ling. He found it impossible. All that has happened was a blur to him. He shook his head and attempted once more to sleep when he heard voices outside the carriage. He leaned his ear closer to the side of the carriage to pick up on the conversation. He recognized the voice of Chi-Fu and another soldier known as Fi Wan. Chi-Fu had appointed him second in command after Shang and Mulan's departure.

"What will we do with them, sir?" questioned Fi Wan.

"I'll take care of that. I think I can talk the emperor into a thing or two with the right wording." Answered Chi-Fu. "With any luck, the traitors will be executed.

"Sir, I don't mean to sound unfaithful," said the soldier. "But what if the emperor lets them go?" Chi-Fu smiled deviously.

"Then I take an ax and do it myself." He answered coyly. Ling's eyes widened. His stomach turned flips. It wouldn't matter what the emperor thought, if they didn't escape, they would be dead meat anyway.

"Yao, Chien Po, wake up!" he said as he shook his comrades. They stirred, but did not awaken. Ling sighed and whispered in Chien Po's ear.

"Dinner time! Fresh soy beans!" Chien Po woke up immediately.

"Where?" he asked before he remembered they were stuck in a carriage awaiting trouble. Yao was still snoozing and Ling was getting impatient, so he woke Yao up with a swift kick in the behind. Yao woke up after that. They were about to question, but Ling silenced them.

"Listen to me." He said. "we have to get out of here."

"How can we possibly get out?" asked Chien Po, "I would rather just save the energy and drown out my sorrows thinking about all the food I could've eaten."

" Yeah." Agreed Yao. "Our only hope of survival is that the emperor lets us keep our heads."

With that, Yao and Chien Po sighed and prepared to go back to sleep. Ling kicked them again.

"We have to! I heard Chi Fu and that guy called Fi Wan talking. It won't matter what the emperor says, Chi Fu is planning to kill us anyway. Escaping is our only chance!" he said in a loud whisper.

Yao responded while Chien Po just looked at Ling in his normal serene way.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Ling, but you seem to be forgetting the fact that we have no idea where we are, our hands and feet are still tied and there are soldiers guarding us day and night!" Yao said, gesturing as he spoke.

"But let's not forget." Said Ling, " We are advanced warriors and I think we could easily use our skills to get rid of ant guards Chi Fu has had hired to keep us here." Chien Po and Yao eyed each other before breaking into grins.

"okay. Here's the plan." Whispered Ling…..

MEANWHILE…

Mulan and Shang had decided to rest and found a pile of leaves to use as a pillow before saying goodnight. They both pretended to sleep, but very similar thoughts were crossing their minds.

Mulan lay to the left, wide awake. She had been feeling the strangest things. Now, whenever she saw or thought about Shang, her stomach tickled. The more she got to know him, the more she wanted to be around him. She was debating with herself mentally. _Do I like him? Maybe even love him? I hardly know him, but then he did stand up for me when we were little and again against Chi Fu. Oh, why am I even bothering? He's a general's son and I'm just some clumsy peasant._ _It's still nice to imagine though. _

On the other side of their little cave, Shang was thinking almost the same thing. _Why am I feeling like this? I've never felt like this about anyone, much less someone who lied to me. Oh, who am I kidding? There's no way she could ever feel for me. _

At the same time, they both sighed dreamily. They looked up at each other, blushed, and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, back in the carriage, the gang had constructed an escape plan. On the signal, Ling lay back against the carriage wall, and Yao started to yell.

"Help! He's dead!" called Yao. Chien Po put on a look of utter terror. Chi Fu sent a soldier to check on them. The man entered the carriage and inspected Ling. When he got close, Chien Po snuck up behind him and gave him a hard nerve pinch. The man let out a quiet moan before falling to the floor. Ling got up and rolled the man onto his back. He then grabbed the dagger that was attached to the soldier's belt and cut them free. Just to take extra percautions, they used his scarf and put it over his mouth to prevent him from making too much racket when he came to. Quietly, They crept out the back of the carriage, delivering a firm kick to the man behind it. With that, they scampered into the nearby woods to seek temporary refuge.

"Isn't he back yet?" muttered Chi Fu, annoyed. "Halt!" He dismounted his horse and walked up to the carriage and pulled open the doors. Chi Fu's mouth dropped.

"It can't be." He said "They've escaped!" The other soldiers gathered around him, equally startled.

"Sir, let me lead us to find them. We can't let them escape!" Fi Wan said. Chi Fu consented and sent Fi Wan and a few other soldiers to check the woods.

Yao, Ling and Chien Po knew nothing of this. They were crouched behind a large tree, planning what they would do next. Suddenly, Chien Po heard a small noise.

"Guys, do you hear that?" he asked. Yao and Ling exchanged glances and shook their heads. Chien Po decided that it must've been his imagination, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. He heard the rustling again. This time, he couldn't ignore it.

"Guys, I really think we should move. I swear I heard something." He tried to explain.

"Just relax." Said Ling. "No one is going to find- "

"FOUND THEM!" A voice echoed through the air. The gang flipped their heads around to see Fi Wan staring down at them.

"Now do you believe me?" asked Chien Po, terrified.

"Shut up and run!" screamed Yao, Yanking his friends to their feet. They tried to run, but were soon caught up to by the soldiers. They fought, but a lot of the soldiers were equally matched in skill and agility. Sweat beaded down the gang's faces, but they refused to give up.

The total of 8 soldiers fought with the gang of three. Kicks, punches and flips were all delivered and blocked. When the soldiers lay unconcious on the ground, the gang's hearts were still beating fast. All were down, except for Fi Wan. He had slipped off, but the gang didn't see.

"I think we beat them." Said Yao, as he high-fived his friends, faint an exasperated smile on his face. Suddenly, all three were hit from behind with a blunt object, knocking them out.

"Not quite." Said Fi Wan, standing behind them, beside him was the soldier the gang had knocked out in the carriage and another soldier. Chi Fu came up to them.

"Good work, men" he said. "He ordered them to be taken back to the carriage and tied tighter this time.

When the gang awoke, the room swirled. Their heads throbbed and they recalled what had happened the previous night. They noticed that their whole upper torso's were bound as well as their hands and feet.

"Our plan seems to have backfired." Said Chian Po quietly. Yao and Ling nodded in agreement.

Chapter 4 will be up soon! Hope the whole "help help he's dead" thing wasn't too far fetched. My school is doing a play of Romeo and Juliet, so I got the idea from that. Please review this chapter! Thanks.


	4. Hungry and Defeated

Chapter the fourth

Disclaimer: I do not own Mulan or any other original character. The only one I own is Fi Wan.

Back in their little shelter from the bitter winds, Mulan and Shang woke only to find that they had no food. Another fire was built and the two decided to venture out to find something to eat. Shang discovered a small bag of almonds in his saddlebag, but it was obviously not enough. They hadn't gone far when they found a small patch of forest. (not the same one from the last chapter) Equipped with only Mulan's sword, they made their way in.

Neither of them said much, because of their feelings for each other that they were afraid would be made obvious. They decided to split up to get the best results. Shang went left and Mulan right.

It had only been a few minutes when Shang heard yells and growls.

"Mulan?" Shang called. He ran toward the noise, praying nothing was wrong. When he reached the source, He found Mulan heaving rocks at an enormous bear who was snarling and growling and towering over her.

"Shang, help!" she called back. Shang had nothing on him, so all he could think to do was throw rocks. He looked frantically around for anything around him. Suddenly, he remembered Mulan's sword.

"Mulan, throw me your sword!" he yelled. She was about to do so, when the bear leaned closer and prepared to swipe at her. She screamed but gave it a karate kick in the stomach. The bear stumbled a bit, but that made it angrier. With those few seconds, Mulan threw Shang her sword. He caught it and ran up behind the bear. The bear, its attention focused on Mulan, didn't notice him. Wasting no time, Shang proceeded to jump onto the bears back, and butt it on the head with the back of the sword. He then jumped off and grabbed Mulan's arm to pull her put of the bears path. It staggered before relizing that the two were not defenseless and walked away.

Mulan and Shang stood panting and looked at each other and laughed nervously. Breaking the awkward silence, Shang asked Mulan what she had found to eat.

"That's how I got into the scrape with the bear in the first place." She said. "I found a blackberry bush and I picked some which she seemed to think were hers." Mulan opened her small pouch to reveal a handful of blackberries. All Shang had found were some nuts. Since they were now weary from lack of food, they went back to their spot. When they arrived, Mulan had pointed out another problem.

"Well, this might hold us until we can think of somewhere to go from here." Shang said.

"Shang, I don't want to, burst any bubbles, but we have two horses to feed, too." Replied Mulan, gesturing to their horses standing outside the door. They both looked considerably skinnier and had been doing nothing all day because they were too weak. The grass was covered by the snow, so there was nothing they could eat.

"Do you feel as defeated as I do?" Mulan asked. Shang nodded.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE CARRIAGE OF DOOM…

The day wore on and the gang just sat, feeling utterly defeated in every way. Even Ling couldn't be the optimist now. Some time in the morning, the gang couldn't tell what time it was exactly because the sun was blocked away from them, Chi Fu entered their tent. What made it even more terrifying was that he was smiling. He walked over to the frightened trio.

"I have a little bargain I'm willing to make with you." He said.

"What kind of bargain?" asked Yao suspiciously. Chien Po and Ling looked at Chi Fu, wondering what his idea of a bargain was. Chi Fu grinned.

"You tell me where the girl and captain went, and I'll let you go." He said. The three looked at each other. That was his idea of a bargain? Ling spoke for the group.

"Betray our friends for you? Not a chance!" he said. Yao and Chien Po agreed.

"We don't even know where they are." Said Ling. That was a lie. The gang had seen Mulan and Shang head off west, but they weren't about to let Chi Fu know that. Chi Fu still smiled.

"That's a shame you won't make this easy," he purred. "But never mind. I have a few things that may persuade you to tell me." With this he pulled a long knife. The gang took one look at it and gulped. This would not be easy to get out of.

Sorry that was so short. I'm suffering from severe writer's block. If you bother to read this, can you please include what you think is the best idea in your review:

A) The gang will accidentally tell Chi Fu where Mulan and Shang are.

B) The gang runs away and finds Mulan and Shang, unknowing that Chi Fu has followed them.

C) The gang break down and tell Chi Fu where Mulan and Shang are, therefore getting their freedom.

I can think of how to work with any of them, but I want to know which one sounds best to my readers. Please, please review. Once again, I'm sorry if this chapter sucked.


	5. Plan Number Two

Chapter the fifth

Thank you for the reviews and choices for what I should do next. I've made my decision on what I'm going to do, but you'll have to read further to find out what that is. Special thanks to Mizu-ryuuseisui for all the suggestions. I plan to use few and credit you for them in future chapters. KingOfTheRock thank you very much for your positive review. My E-mail is Thanks again to all my reviewers!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mulan. All original characters are copyright Disney. Fi Wan is mine, but feel free to use him in your story if you want.

Chi Fu grinned a twisted grin and for once, he scared the gang of three. He had an almost insane look in his eyes.

"Perhaps I should rephrase the question." He said, putting the knife closer to Yao's throat. "Tell me where they went or ill see to it that your heads no longer sit between your shoulders." Emotions were mixed in their brains. Now because of what had happened earlier, they knew that Chi Fu could actually do damage. _He'll kill us if we don't tell him! But we can't do that to Mulan or Shang. He's the only traitor, turning on his own army. _Chien Po came up with the answer after closing his eyes and letting his ancestors tell him what to say.

"Chi Fu, the answer is no." He said firmly.

"Yeah!" Ling agreed. "We wouldn't stab our friends in the back for you if you were the emperor!" At this, Chi Fu's face seemed to soften and he pulled his knife away, giving Yao room to breathe.

"Come now." Said Chi Fu. It now was like he was trying to convince them to give in. "It's not like you have anything to lose. Just tell me and I won't say anything about you to the emperor. It's a fair bargain." The gang turned their backs to him and had a mini discussion of what to do. Ling's eyes narrowed and his face turned sullen as he spoke.

"We don't bargain with madmen." He said. This comment made Chi Fu mad. Yao decided to add to it, seeing Chi Fu fuming.

"What's more, you'll never find them on your own." He spat. "You're too dumb too possibly figure out that they went west to a patch of mountains!" As soon as he finished saying it, he relized his fatal mistake and clasped a hand over his mouth. Chi Fu grinned even more.

"Wasn't that nice of you. Now you've saved me the trouble of looking for them." He said and turned to his men." Make tracks west, men. Keep an eye out for a small patch of mountains and a couple of fugitives." With that, Chi Fu flashed Yao one more smile and got back on his horse. The gang was still in pure shock. Yao's face was twisted with remorse and fear. He was breathing heavily, waiting for someone to say something.

"No." he whispered, his head sinking into his knees.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE CAVE

Shang and Mulan were growing weaker by the minute. They had no source of protein, but they managed to keep aware by living off nuts and berries from the trees and bushes. One morning, Shang set out to collect the berries from the tree with Mulan with him. He had picked only a few when he heard a call. It was a man's voice. A painfully familiar man's voice. He heard grunts and cries. Then, his jaw almost dropped to the ground when he saw the one thing he thought were gone for good. Huns.

"Mulan." He whispered urgently. She turned around and Mulan walked over beside him behind the bush. It made her heart beat fast being this close to him, but she immediately forget about it when she saw five, huge huns including Shan Yu climbing out of the snow.

"That can't be." She said in a whisper. They were dead. They had to be!

"They're headed north. I think they're going to the imperial city." Shang said.

"What can we do?" asked Mulan. The huns were coming to wipe out the emperor and the only ones who knew about it were a few people that the law was searching for.

"We have to get to the emperor before Chi Fu tells him about us." Shang said. "Let's go." Just as he turned around, his foot turned into a small gopher hole and he fell flat on his face.

" Oh my god, are you okay?" Mulan asked, rushing to his side pulling to his feet.

"I'm fi-OW!" Shang started out fine, but when he stepped on his left leg, pain seered through his ankle and he sat back down.

"What is it?" Mulan asked, kneeling beside him.

"I'm fine." Shang said again, though that was a complete lie.

" Shang, you're obviously not fine. It looks like a minor sprain to me. Can you walk? How did it happen?"

" I stepped in a hole. I'll be fine. I'll walk it off." Mulan thought about how to get him back to the cave so he could rest his leg comfortably. Eventually, Shang out his arm around Mulan's shoulder and limped back. They both actually enjoyed it immensly, being so near to each other. When they reached it, what remained of Shang's cape was torn into strips and wrapped around his leg. A fire was made and the two sat, munching on the few nuts Mulan had collected. Shang sighed.

"What can we possibly do? The horses are in no condition to be ridden, and I can't walk it with my leg. But then, what can you expect from me." Mulan was puzzled. She wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"If I weren't so clumsy, the whole ankle incident could have been avoided."

"You? Clumsy?" Mulan said. Shang was the last person of who she thought clumsy.

"Yes." Said Shang. " Before I joined the army, I was always knocking things over. I couldn't walk two feet without tripping. That reminds me of one particular scenario…"

FLASHBACK

"Shang, I'll take care of it. You go." Sixteen year old Li Shang had just picked himself up off the floor after knocking over his mothers pot of plants.

"Thanks, mother." He said quickly before running into the front room. The previous day he had been enrolled in the army. Shang was very gawky and was nervous that his clumsiness would dishonor his father, the great imperial general. All Shang had ever wanted was to make his father proud, and today was the day that would start him on that path. Hung above the fireplace were large portraits of all the previous Li family generals. Shang came from a line of six Li soldiers that had become captains and eventually generals. When they started the army, they had their portrait done and set above the mantle. The newest addition would be his.

He entered the main room where a stool had been set out in front of a short man who was the painter. Dressed in armor, he was met with his fathers' scowl because of his lateness. He had just opened his mouth to speak when his father waved him silent.

" None of your excuses." He said. "Sit here." He sat Shang on a stool in front of the man. The little man came out from behind the canvas and inspected Shang's position.

"Now I suppose you know what's going to happen. I am a particular type of portrait painter known as a speedpainter so I work a bit differently than the usual artist. I capture the soul with my quick style! Free the spirit! Unleash the inner beauty!" As he was raving on, Shang came to the conclusion that the guy was a nutcase. _ (Authors note: I know there are no such thing as speed painters, but that's how I need it to be, so just go with it.)_

"Now sit still, and I should be done the portrait in a matter of seconds." The man said. He came over and adjusted Shang's leg position so his back would be straighter. It was very hard for Shang to balance on.

"Ready? I'm going to take one look at you, and I'll paint. Ready?" the painter asked.

"Uh, I'm kind of unstable…" Shang started to protest, but the man had started his count. "Whoa!" he stumbled trying to keep his balance.

"One…two…

"Wait!" Shang said, becoming more unbalanced and almost falling. He was just trying to keep straight when ;

"Three." No later had he said it, when Shang toppled off the chair with a crash. However, it was too late and the man had finished painting what he saw in the time it took Shang to get up. When Shang looked at it, his face fell. All the man had painted was what he saw: Shang falling off a stool. What was depicted was Shang tumbling off the stool that had been propelled into the right hand corner. What you could see of his face was a wide-eyed expression and his hands flying in the air. Next his father came to look at it.

"We can't possibly put that up. It's terrible! Let's try again." He said, obviously displeased.

"I'm sorry, I can't stay. I'm on a very tight schedule." Said the painter, gathering up his things. "I'm booked solid. Don't worry. That picture shows a lot of what the boy is: incredibly clumsy." He said with a laugh before heading for the door.

Shang was just standing there, feeling more ashamed of his clumsy nature than ever. He just looked up at his father then at the wall of portraits of the esteemed generals and headed outside to sit by the little stream that ran into their yard.

He had been out there about 10 minutes when his father came out and sat next to him. (_does this remind you of anything?)_

"Shang, don't worry. We can get a new one painted on a better stool." He said, hoping to lift his sons' spirits. Shang sighed.

"It's not that." He said. " Look at me. I'll never be a general or even a worthy soldier. I'm such a klutz that I can't get a portrait done with out looking like a fool."

"Shang, all you need to do is find your center of balance and you'll do fine. The army will do you good. I know you can do it and become a great warrior to keep our family tradition alive." He said. Those words alone meant the world and a half to Shang.

"How do you know?" he challenged further.

"You're my son, aren't you?" said his father with a smile before walking up and retreating to the house.

END FLASHBACK

"He was right. I found my center of balance and I became a captain at least." Shang finished. Mulan was listening spellbound as she reflected on her own father's words.

"That sounds very similar to what happened the day I came to war… " Mulan began her tale of her epic with the matchmaker. Shang's jaw dropped many times in the story as he heard about Mulan's wild adventures just like hers did during his story. This made them feel even more connected.

"I don't believe that someone with as much skill as you could have done all that." Said Shang when she had finished. Mulan felt the same way about his story.

"All I wanted was to honour my father. I came to war for him and nothing else." She said.

"That's another thing that's admirable about you, Mulan. Your selflessness." Shang said, causing Mulan to blush. _Did I just say that?_ Shang asked himself in his head. It had become late, so Shang and Mulan said goodnight. Mulan lay awake, blushing and her heart beating furiously.

_He said he admires me! Maybe he likes me! Oh, that's crazy talk. But still…_

MEANWHILE, BACK WITH OUR GANG…

Yao still couldn't believe it. He had slipped up, and now Mulan and Shang would be found. The other two had gone to sleep, but Yao found it impossible. The only thing they could do was warn Mulan and Shang, but how?

"Guys, wake up." Yao said. They did almost immediately because of their guilty conciense that wouldn't let them sleep well. "We have to do something."

"Listen closely." Said Ling. "There is nothing we can do. I thought that would've been made clear from our last escape that bombed.

"I can't believe you guys!" Yao said. "We're the only things between Mulan and Shang and imminent death, and you guys won't do a thing. Well I won't let that happen! I'm going to find them before Chi Fu does." Ling and Chien Po just looked at each other before reluctantly agreeing to help Yao. Their new plan was just like the last one, except this time they weren't going to stop until they found Mulan and Shang.

Early the next morning, the three got to their feet, still bound at the hands and torso and ran. It was lame, but it was their only hope. They had only run around a corner of mountains when Fi Wan saw them disappearing.

"Chi Fu,sir." He said with a salute. "They aren't far. We can catch them."

"No." said Chi Fu. "I have a better idea." His face turned into an evil grin.

Hope you liked it. I am officially crediting Mizu-ryuuseisui for the idea of Shang spraining his ankle. This is the longest chapter so far and my fingers hurt. Please review this chapter!


	6. Betrayel

Chapter the sixth

Hi folks! Here is chapter six. Thank you very much to those who reviewed. I always appreciate feedback. I've kinda dug myself into a writer's hole with Mulan and Shang starving and that. It will be solved in this chapter, but it's kind of out there, so just go with it.

"No," said Chi Fu. "I have a better idea." His face turned into an evil grin.

"What do you have in mind, sir?" asked Fi Wan.

"Come here and I'll tell you." Chi Fu answered and whispered his scheme in Chi Fu's ear. As Fi Wan heard it, he too began to break into a grin.

MEANWHILE

The gang had just turned a corner and headed immediately west. Their bodies were still bound to their disadvantage.

"Guys, we gotta get out of these. They're chafing my delicate and sensitive skin." Said Yao. Ling and Yao couldn't help but snicker at the thought of Yao having delicate and sensitive skin.

"I can fix that." Said Chien Po. He walked forward, picked up Yao and walked toward a tree with a pointy piece of wood sticking out of it. He lifted him up and brang him down with so much force that the ropes snapped. He did the same with Ling and himself until they were all free_. (Credit goes to KingOfTheRock fo the suggestion)_

"And that is that." Said Chien Po.

"Let's get down to business." Said Ling. "Judging by my intellect I say west is that way." He said, pointing.

"No it's not, you idiot." Said Yao. "It's that way." He pointed in the opposite direction.

"Guys, please." Interrupted Chien Po. "Look. The sun is rising in the east, so we have to go that way." He pointed west.

"Right." said Ling.

"We knew that." Said Yao. The three started off west in high hopes of finding their friends. Little did they know, they were not alone.

MEANWHILE

Mulan and Shang couldn't believe their luck. They had been out in the woods, food hunting as always, when they found exactly what they needed. A good source of food! Mulan had been out in the woods when right in front of her was a dead pheasant. _(A type of bird. I don't know if they're found in China, but I need out of this hole.)_ Not only that, but a spot of hay. Shang was in their little cave making a fire when Mulan walked in.

"Shang, you won't believe it. Look what I found." She took him out and he was equally enthused.

"Mulan, this is great." He said. "There's enough here for us and the horses." They carried it back and Shang began to clean the feathers off the bird. This was a bit much for Mulan to watch, so she took out the hay to the horses who ate without hesitation and soon were back full of energy. The bird was roasted over the fire and eaten by the two. Neither of them felt any guilt because the animal was already dead.

"Shang, there's still the issue of the huns." Mulan brought up. " We have to do something."

"We have to get to the palace before Chi Fu." Shang said. Mulan suddenly thought of something she hadn't before.

"Shang, Yao, Ling and Chien Po are going to be in trouble for letting us escape. What about them?" asked Mulan "We have to get there before anything happens to them. Unless, something already has…" She trailed off there. The worst was beginning to form in her mind.

"Oh no. No. No. No." Mulan's eyes clouded over and her head was hung so Shang would not know how upset she was. He already had.

"I'm sure they're fine. They know what they're doing." He said, trying to be comforting, but he really didn't believe a word he had said. He reached an arm out and put it around her shoulder. Sensing his presence, she leaned against him. Considering how they were feeling, it was a rather awkward situation. Mulan was aware of it too, but right then she didn't care very much. She knew Shang was just trying to cheer her up, but she knew that the chances of the gang being alright were slim. Her guit was half the reason she was crying.

"It's my fault." Mulan whimpered.

"Whatdo you mean?" Shang asked her.

"Why did they have to be good friends? Heck, you're In trouble too, Shang." She said. Shang thought about what to say.

"Mulan, do you know why I didn't hurt you in the pass?" he asked. Mulan shook her head. "Because you are the best soldier I've ever had and you are right and Chi Fu is wrong. " Mulan looked up into his eyes. They were as sincere as they could possibly get. They were lost in a trance until a voice broke it.

"Is anyone here?" Mulan and Shang whipped around to see something they couldn't believe.

"Hello?" In walked the gang of three. They were equally startled.

"How, what?" Mulan was stuttering. "This is impossible. Thank the ancestors!" Her friends ran up to her. They had no harsh feelings about her being a woman.

"How did you escape?" asked Shang after greeting his three friends.

"It was our second attempt that got us out." Answered Ling. Then came the story. Thay talked for many minutes also getting a bit of information about Mulan.

"And that's how we found our way here." Finished Yao.

"That speaks for us as well." Interrupted a new voice. The five turned and saw something that made them want to scream. In the doorway of the cave stood Chi Fu and Fi Wan. He snapped his fingers and thirty armed soldiers ran up to Mulan and Shang, holding their hands behind their backs with a knife to their throats. The rage showed in their eyes.

"Well, we seem to have caught ourselves a few traitors, wouldn't you say, men?" Chi Fu said with a twisted sneer. Yao, Ling and Chien Po watched in horror as their friends were being taken over. Chi Fu turned to them.

"Ah, dear soldiers." He said walking over to them. "I knew you'd come around to help me."

"No. It can't be." Whispered Ling.

"What are you talking about?" demanded Shang, his face practically burning with anger. Chi Fu walked up to him.

"How could I have found two traitors without the help of their friends?" he said. Mulan was more confused than she'd ever been in her life. Her friends wouldn't do that, would they? She looked up at them as if to ask them if what Chi Fu said was true. As she glanced, they raised their heads and dropped them again in shame. Her head dropped down in defeat.

"Let us take these unholy heathens back to the imperial city, shall we?" Chi Fu said before ordering his soldiers to drag Mulan and Shang away. As Mulan passed her "friends" she looked at them with her eyes full of fear, anger, betrayel and defeat. Ling couldn't bear it. Chi Fu had followed them and now there was no doubt that Mulan and Shang would be executed. He sank to his knees, devastated. Suddenly, Chien Po spoke.

"Chi Fu, a deal is a deal. We helped you find them. Let us go." He said. Ling and Yao couldn't beilive what they were hearing. Neither could Mulan or Shang. Now they were going to think that the gang _had_ done it purposely. Chi Fu thought before deciding what to do.

"Very well." He said. "You've served your purpose. Let's go, men!" As Mulan and Shang were dragged away, Mulan shot them one last glare. This time, it was in anger. _What was I thinking? Why did I trust them at all? I was such a fool to think they were my friends_. She thought as she was pulled away and shoved into a carriage with guards beside Shang and herself. This time there was no brave captain here to protect them from Chi Fu's wrath. As soon as Chi Fu was out of sight, Yao burst out.

"Chien Po, what were you thinking? That wasn't even true! They're going to hate us for life! Not that it will matter because of us."

"Please, you guys." Said Chien Po in his usual serene voice. "I have a plan. I knew that they won't be able to escape. The only hope is that we get to the emperor first." Ling and Yao didn't know what to do.

"Please." Chien Po begged. "Unless we want our friends to die and live with guilt forever more, we have to try." With that, he stood and began to walk to the opening. Ling and Yao took his words in and followed. This was the beginning of a race against time.

Please, please review this chapter! Any suggestions are always good. 


	7. a Battle Lost

Chapter the seventh

Thanks for the reviews I got.(2 to be exact). I'm hoping to get way more reviews this chapter. I am using a suggestion given to me by KingOfTheRock in this chapter who gets the credit for it. As u may remember, Mulan is using Shang's cape for clothing. I picture her to have fashioned some sort of tunic with it. Just go with me there.  Also thanks to katyrose for the helpful suggestions! Onward Ho!

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's Mulan. I only own Fi Wan, but feel free to use him in a story if you need an extra jerk. Hehe.

"Ok, if we're west now, where would the palace be?" Yao pondered out loud. The gang was standing outside of Mulan and Shang's hiding spot until they had been found the previous day. The gang knew they were the only hope, but none of them knew what way to go. After many minutes, Ling began to get annoyed.

"Look dummy, " he said, directed at Yao. " It's obviously that way." He said.

"Who's a dummy?" Yao replied, getting angry. Chien Po didn't like where this was going.

"Guys, let's just agree that you both have an equal level of intelligence. " he said.

"What? No!" said Yao rather loudly. "I'm not dumb as a post like him." He gestured to Ling. Yao had had enough.

"I'm sick of you!" he said. " and I'm outta here." With that, he turned and sauntered off towards the direction he thought was to the palace.

"Go ahead!" Ling called after him. "And you too!" he said to Chien Po. He walked away in the opposite direction of Yao.

"Wait...Please!" Chien Po tried to call them back, but it was no use. He sighed and headed off the other direction alone.

MEANWHILE

Mulan and Shang sat in the damp carriage that had once held their so-called friends. Shang was at one end and Mulan at the other, both too busy drowning in self-pity to talk. In the carriage with them were two soldiers who kept silent. Both Mulan and Shang were thinking along the same lines which consisted mostly of things like: _How could we have bee so stupid? We're cooked. It would take a miracle to help us now._

They weren't sure how long they had traveled, but they began to hear the bustle of the festival going on in the streets of the imperial city. Chi Fu had sent some soldiers down to spread word of China's victory without knowing that they had not won yet.

Mulan had almost drifted off to sleep when she awoke with a start. The guards had fallen asleep, but both she and Shang were bound. She stretched out a leg and whacked Shang's foot to get his attention.

"Shang, they're having a victory festival. They don't know about the huns." She said.

"If I know the huns' strategies, I know they waste no time. With all the time it took us to get here, that would mean they must be somewhere in the imperial city." Said Shang.

"We have to warn the people." Mulan whispered loudly so not to wake the soldiers. "But how?"

MEANWHILE AGAIN

Yao was also hearing the mumbles of the people. He came over the crest of a hill and saw the palace.

"I was right! Stupid Ling." He began to celebrate his success at getting to the city when he heard rustling in the bushes nearby. His heart leapt and he dove behind a rock, shaking in fear. He peered over the edge to see something emerging from the bushes. He prepared to fight if it was bad when out of the bushes came…

"Ling?" asked Yao. "I thought you were going the other way." A dirt-covered Ling had walked up to Yao out of the shrubs.

"I was." He said. "I don't know how I ended up here." His face squirmed in confusion. Just after that, a familiar voice came upon them.

"Ling? Yao? Is that you?" Chien Po came from the other direction and approached the two. "Maybe I took a wrong turn." He thought and scratched his head.

Ling looked over his shoulder to see a carriage far in the distance with what looked like Chi Fu riding a horse in front of it.

"No." Said Ling. "We're too late. Look!" Chien Po and Yao came and saw the same sight.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Yao. "Let's call it truce and go help our friends!" He then stuck his hand out and Ling and Chien Po put theirs on top before raising them into the air and running off into the village square.

When they got to it, the carriage had become out of site. They looked in all directions, but it was not to be sighted.

"Look!" said Chien Po. "Over there." He pointed to a carriage that looked like the one they needed to find.

"No, it's over there." Said Yao, pointing to another. Ling spotted another.

"Haw are we going to find them when there's so many carriages?" Ling asked, frustrated.

"We'll split up." Said Yao. "I'll go to this one, you go to that one and Ling can go to that one."

"Right." Said Ling and Chien Po together before dashing after the carriages.

"Excuse me!" called Ling after a carriage. " he ran up beside it to see that it was being driven by an elderly man.

"Hello, there." Said Ling suspiciously. " What have you got in your carriage, may I ask." The man looked a bit confused, but answered.

"Hay, sir." Ling eyed him again.

"Really?" Ling said. "Well then how do you explain the two people who are sitting in the back with soldiers?" Ling was sure this was a guard of Chi Fu's sent to take Mulan and Shang to the emperor. The man was more confused than ever now.

"I do not know what you mean, sir." He said.

"Oh, don't play innocent." Said Ling loudly. "I happen to know that your carriage holds none other than the esteemed captain of the army and- Huh?" he swung open the doors to see nothing but piles of hay.

"Uh..um.." he stammered, trying to cover his obvious mistake. "Uh.. annual hay inspection. Your carriage looks clean. Well done sir. Gotta run!" with that he zoomed away hoping to avoid any other clashes like that. As soon as he was out of sight, he groaned in demeanment. He looked up to see Yao and Chien Po coming around the corner. Chien Po looked dizzy and was swaying as he walked and Yao had been smothered in flour and was as white as a ghost.

"Don't ask." He muttered. Ling heeded that.

"Listen, it's hopeless to find them." Said Chien Po. "Let's just talk to the emperor instead." The other two nodded and they all ran off to warn the emperor, praying thet they would make it in time.

XXXXXX

The huns were moving quickly. Concealed inside a paper dragon, they slowly crept toward the palace. There were five of them including Shan Yu, but after all this, they did not see giving up as an option.

XXXXX

The carriage containing Mulan and Shang screeched to a halt inside the palace walls. The door flew open and Chi Fu ordered them to be taken inside. It was just reaching darkness.

"Take them inside to the dungeons." He ordered.

"Hey, that's not fair." Mulan disagreed. "The emperor hasn't said anything yet." Chi Fu leaned close to her face.

"I don't see the emperor anywhere. Do you?" he said. "Take them away." The soldiers dragged Mulan and Shang down to the basement where they were roughly thrown into a cell. _At least we're together._ Thought Mulan.

"But, you can't do this!" called Shang, grabbing the iron bars.

"Oh." Chi Fu said, turning to face him. " seems to me I already have."

"You don't understand." Shang persisted. "The huns are in the city!" Chi Fu never even took the time to think about what Shang had said.

"One lie after another." He said, turning his heel.

"You have to believe us!" Mulan cried. " We saw them! If you don't warn the people, China will fall."

"You don't seem to get my drift." Chi Fu said back. "I am second in command to the emperor. Whatever I say without him knowing goes. " With that, he turned and walked to the dungeon door.

"Oh, and you will appear in front of me tomorrow for your official sentence. I trust you know what it will be." He winked before slowly drawing a finger across his throat, symbolizing death. He smiled and left.

Shang and Mulan stared after him, not believing that it had come to this. Shang hung his head. Mulan retreated to the corner with her head in her knees.

"It's all my fault." She whispered. Shang heard her and came up beside her.

"Mulan." He said firmly. "Look at me." She lifted her head to show tears glistening in her eyes.

"If I hadn't met you, I would have never known what a gift life can be." Mulan lifted her head more and came closer to him. Tears came from her eyes and landed on the hay they were sitting on. Their eyes met and their faces came closer. Mulan's eyes fluttered as their lips came together in a meaningful kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry about how long it took me to update. There's more to come. Ill start on the next chapter soon. Review please!


	8. Saving the Hero

Chapter the eighth

Thank you to all my reviewers! I got more reviews this time, which is good. Please review this chapter too.

Finding the emperor turned out to be quite a task for the gang of three. They got into the palace, only to see a million or so rooms leading out from the hall.

"We'll never find him in time." Said Chien Po. It was late in the night and the palace was dark.

"Listen, we have no hope of finding them tonight. Let's take shifts scoping out the palace so we can get some rest each." Ling suggested.

"Okay." Said Yao. "I'll go first." The other two nodded and Yao set off. Chien Po and Ling tried to relax and sat down by a wooden pillar and soon they were asleep. In the next few minutes, Yao was just too tired to continue. He made his way back to Ling and Chien Po to find them sound asleep.

"The world wouldn't end if I lay down for awhile." Said Yao in a whisper to himself. "I'll just rest my eyes, but I won't actually sleep." He lay down and the next thing he knew, he was out like a light.

Meanwhile, Mulan and Shang had also fallen into an uneasy sleep in each other's arms. In the middle of the night, Mulan awoke. She looked at her surroundings then over at Shang. She smiled when he glanced at him. _At least I can be with the one I love for the last hours of my life. _She thought before lying back down and drifting off again.

In the early hours of the morning, Ling awoke. He noticed the rays of sun coming through the windows and realized that they had all fallen asleep with still no news about where Mulan and Shang were.

"Guys, wake up!" he said as he shook his friends. "Let's go! We have to go! Come on! Come on!" Yao opened his eyes and stretched.

"Yo, slow down." He said. "I want to be able to move before I have to run around." Chien Po was sound asleep with half his body lying on Yao, making it impossible for Yao to get up. Ling poked Chien Po's behind with the tip of his dagger,

"Yowch!" Chien Po yelped before hopping to his feet. Yao got up too.

"You know, You could have just shook me." Chien Po said with annoyance.

"Enough of this." Said Ling. "Let's go find the emperor." The three ran off hoping to find someone before time ran out.

MEANWHILE

The tiny window in the dungeon had early morning light flooding through it as daylight rolled around. Mulan and Shang woke up together. Mulan was about to open her mouth to speak when they heard footsteps enter the chamber. It was a few of the imperial guards. They approached Mulan and Shang's dank cell.

"Well, what are Chi Fu's direct orders?" one asked.

"Bring them to the room where Chi Fu can sentence them." The other answered. They came into the cell and grabbed Mulan and Shang and yanked them to their feet. They were then led out into the grand room where Chi Fu sat on a large chair at the front. Other council members were sitting to the side to watch. The soldiers stood behind them and Mulan and Shang exchanged worried glances before a gong sounded and Chi Fu began.

"Li Shang, Fa Mulan." He said. "You have been brought here for treason against the emperor…"

The gang rushed about anxiously dodging guards and pillars. They veered left and right. Suddenly, They came across a guard standing by a door.

"Excuse me." Panted Ling. "We need to see the emperor. Do you know where he is? It's an emergency."

"He's not in the palace right now." The guard said. "he's gone to the guest building about half a mile south of here."

"Oh man!" groaned Yao. "But we need to see him!"

"I'm sorry." The guard said. "I can do nothing more to help you. If you need him that bad, you can talk to Chi Fu, his head council. I think he's in with a few prisoners now."

"Prisoners?"

"Yes. Haven't you heard? He's in a hearing with Former captain Li Shang and a girl named Fa Mulan for treason. Filthy heathens." He scoffed.

"Hey, watch it pal." Yao said, waving a finger at the guard. " They're our friends and we don't intend to let them fall without a fight." He glared at the guard one last time before running off with Ling and Chien Po., leaving the guard looking after them, completely confused. Once they were outside the palace walls, the gang paused.

"We don't have much time." Breathed Chien Po. "Let's go!" They raced off toward the other building, praying that they would find the emperor in time.

MEANWHILE

The huns, concealed in robes that hid their faces had made far tracks in all this time. They had been planning their attack. Shan yu was in the lead, Using his signals to tell his four followers what direction to go. They did not speak for fear of being detected by the citizens. They had been wandering the streets, also looking for the emperor. That and the soldiers that had destroys his armys.

It happened to be the same time the gang passed the street leading to the palace branch. They were climbing the steps at full speed when Chien Po stopped them.

"Guys, those concealed figures look familiar." He said. Ling and Yao looked at them, too.

"Chien Po, our friends lives are on the line and you want to stop and look at people in cloaks? Let's go!" urged Ling.

"No." continued Chien Po." I mean they look familiar. As in bad familiar."

"I don't know." Said Yao. "Think about it as we look for the emperor."

Ling grabbed his friend's hands and yanked them up the steps. With that, they ran straight ahead and burst into the first room they came to. Incidently, the emperor was in it having tea. He was shocked to see this ragtag bunch jump in and they were immediately smothered with guards that wrestled them to the ground. Before they could say a word, they were dragged away and thrown outside.

Back in with the emperor, he was not happy with them.

"Bunch of nutcases" he muttered. He turned to his assistant, but before he could speak again the three burst back into the room.

"Please!" Ling cried. "Just listen to us!" Once again, they were jumped by the guards.

"Let them up." The emperor ordered. The three stood up and lowered their heads in a bow.

"Your majesty. We have a tale to tell, but we must hurry or it will be too late…" Ling began to fill the emperor in on the details of their epic story.

MEANWHILE, BACK WITH MULAN AND SHANG…

"Fa Mulan, your treason against China is unforgivable. What's more, now you two say that the huns are in the city. Bunch of hooey from two lying villians." Chi Fu had started by labeling Mulan's so-called crime and the emperor was still in danger of attack from the remaining huns.

"You deceived your commanding officer who later turned to join your little sin against your country. Your family should be dishonored forever because of you!" Mulan cringed. How many times had she heard that she was either disgraceful or dishonourable? No one saw her for who she was and no one knew that she wanted her family to be happy more than anything. No one understood. Except Shang, who had put his family's honour at stake in order to help her.

"And you." Chi Fu sneered, turning to Shang, "you are just as bad as she is. Turning your back on all that we stand for. Your father must be rolling in his grave." He added that just so he could see Shang dealing with the pain of the idea that he had dishonoured his father, the only one who he ever cared about pleasing. Shang tried not to let Chi Fu have that satisfaction, even though his innards were burning in hatred.

As Chi Fu was still talking, Shang was making another tough decision. Mulan was selfless. She had saved his life. It was the least he could do to return the favour.

"Chi Fu." He interrupted. Chi Fu looked down at him. Shang looked over at Mulan and then back at Chi Fu.

"As I see it, Mulan is not the one at fault. I am. I spared her and broke the law, too. "

Mulan stared at him. _What is he doing?_ She asked herself. Shang went on.

"The truth is I knew about Mulan's charade before we left for battle, but I let her stay. It was my fault she came into battle in the first place, so I think punishing her for my misjudgement would be a mistake."

Mulan couldn't believe what she was hearing. He didn't know anything about her charade. He's lying to save me. Her heart and stomach turned in and out of knots as she realized more of what he was doing.

"Therefore," Shang said, "If there shall be any punishment that is coming for her, I ask that it fall upon me instead."

He lowered his head, eyes shining with bravery and defeat. He stepped back and both he and Mulan waited for Chi Fu to think over what he had just been told. Chi Fu spoke.

"With that being true, I will have to alter my decision. If what he sayd is correct, then Mulan shall only receive shame to her name." Mulan lowered her head, but looked up again to see what would be pronounced on Shang. Chi Fu continued.

"Li Shang, for betrayel and deceipt not to mention treason, I have no choice but to sentence you to death!" A gong sounded and it was official. Shang's face dropped in utter helplessness. _At least Mulan will be alright_. He thought as he tried to keep from letting a tear slide down his cheek.

Mulan was standing there in shock trying to take it all in. _They're going to kill him because of me!_ Her brain screamed. _He stood up for me and I repay him by letting him face execution. It's all my fault._

"No" she whispered before letting her face drop into her hands.

"The execution shall take place in precisely two days!" called Chi Fu. "Take him away." The guards once again grabbed Shang and began to take him back to the cell. Mulan got to her feet and ran up after him. When she got as close as she could, she looked at him and mouthed the word: _why _He mouthed back: _Because I love you. _

That made tears explode from Mulan's eyes and her knees crumpled beneath her. Some guards approached her but Chi Fu motioned them away. Mulan had never been this angry and sad in all her life. _Chi Fu_ she thought. _It's all his fault that Shang is going to die! It's all because of him! _

But just before the guards could drag Shang out of the room, a young messenger burst into the room and screamed at the top of his lungs:

"THE HUNS ARE IN THE CITY!"

Dun dun dun.. cliffhanger ending! I'll update as soon as I can. I know there's a lot going on, so try and follow the best you can. PLEASE review.


	9. Mulan's Plan

Chapter the ninth

Hi. Thanks a lot to all my reviewers. Hope last chapter's romance wasn't too cornball for you. Here's chapter nine…

"THE HUNS ARE IN THE CITY!"

Chi Fu's jaw dropped in disbelief. It couldn't be! Mulan and Shang were telling the truth. Mulan jerked her head up and heard screams from out in the village square. Shang, seeing how shocked the guards around him were, took this as an opportunity. He wriggled a free arm from one guard and punched them both square in the face before looking both ways and making a break for it.

He ran to Mulan, grabbed her by the arm and the two sprinted out of the courtroom with everyone else still in a daze. They burst through the doors to be confronted with utter chaos before them, people dashing and women screaming. While Shang was deciding where to go, Mulan prepared to speak.

"Shang, i…"

"No time." Hang cut her off. "We have to find the emperor. Where is he?"

"The huns are surely looking for him. I thought I heard someone say he was in the guest palace. Let's go!" The two ran into the village to see the gang of three and the emperor running up to them.

"I don't believe it!" cried Ling happily. "How did you escape?"

"We'll explain later." Said Shang. "Right now, we've got a country to save."

"Yeah, but the only question is how. Any ideas?" asked Yao. During this exchange, Mulan's strategic mind was whirring away, trying to think of plan.

"I have an idea." She said. The huns are obviously looking for the emperor, so we need him to get to a safe place." Her mind scanned for a good place.

"The dungeon!" she said. "Chien Po, you take the emperor to the dungeon and guard him. They'll not suspect him to be there of all places."

"I beg you pardon!" the emperor piped up, not pleased with the idea.

"Please, your excellency. " pleaded Chien po. "As we told you, she got this far. She knows what she's doing." Mulan blushed.

"Very well." Said the emperor.

"Great." Said Mulan. "Now Yao, you go into the palace and bring back expensive jewelry and things worth a lot and any sort of dress that you would find a woman in." Yao areed.

"Shang, you go determine the whereabouts of the huns and then come back and tell us what you found." Shang nodded. "And Ling, you'll stay with me and wait for Yao and Shang to come back."

"Right." Said the men together as they ran off to do what Mulan had assigned them to do.

"I just hope you know what you're doing, Fa Mulan." Said the emperor before Chien Po and he ran into the palace and disappeared.

_So do i._ Thought Mulan as she waited anxiously for her friends to return.

XXXXXXXXX

Shang turned corners, looking for the huns, His job was the hardest out of them all_. Yao looks for clothes, Chien Po helps the emperor, and I end up playing scout. _He thought.He stopped to think when he had a brainstorm. He dicided to listen to where the most screams were coming from. He closed his eyes. Most of the shrieks were coming from the guest palace. Without further thinking, Shang ran up the steps and into the palace. Immediately, he ducked as a vase flew above him, nearly missing his head.

Shang heard one particular feminine scream coming from a room a little ways up the hall. Shang ran to it and poked his head in. A woman was cowering in the corner shrieking as one of the remaining huns cornered her and tried to yank off a necklace that was around her neck.

"Please, someone help!" she screamed desperately, but the other people in the building were to busy trying to save their own skins to notice. Thinking fast, Shang ran back down the hall and grabbed the vase that had narrowly missed him. Surprisingly, it hadn't broken.

He sprinted back into the room and approached the hun who hadn't noticed him. He gathered his strength and brought it down on the huns' head. The hun whirled around to look at Shang before swaying and falling down unconcious. The woman got up off the floor. She was in a fine pink dress and her hair was tied in two long buns on the side of her head.

"Thank you, sir." She said gratefully. "Your gesture will not be forgotten." She bowed her head to him in thanks.

"Please." Said Shang with a wave. "What's you name?" As she was about to answer when two more women ran into the room with rolling pins. Sensing Shang was an unwanted visitor, they ran up and the taller one whacked him on the head.

"Ow." Said Shang, rubbing his head.

"Stop!" cried the first woman. "He's a friend! He saved me from the hun!"

"Oh." Said the woman who had hit Shang. "Sorry."

"That's okay." Mumbled Shang. "It only hurt a lot."

The three women looked very alike, like they could be family. The one who hit him was the tallest and looked like the oldest and was dressed in blue. The other one who looked slightly younger than the first woman was dressed in yellow.

"What did you say your name was?" the youngest one asked Shang.

"I'm Li Shang. Former imperial captain." He answered. The three women looked confused.

"Whoa, do you know what hot water you're in?" the young one asked.

"I think so. You must've heard about the whole Chi Fu thing, right?" Shang asked.

"Yes." Said the one in blue. "But its worse now. He's sent his troops after you."

"That's just what I need. More people trying to hunt me down." Shang groaned. "What did you say you're names were?"

"I'm Princess Xiong Mei." Said the one in pink. "And these are my sisters, princess Ting Ting," she pointed to the tall one, "And Princess Su." The one in yellow bowed.

"You're the emperors daughters?" relizing this, Shang dropped his head in a bow. Su waved her hand.

"Please." She said. "We should be honoring you. You saved Mei from at least severe discomfort." Shang smiled.

"I hate to dampen the mood, but I'm on a mission to find out the hun's whereabouts. Have you seen them?" Shang asked.

"The whole group of them came in here looking for our father." Said Ting Ting. "We ran and hid, but one saw Mei and tried to attack her."

"I think they went out into the square and turned right." Added Su.

"Thank you." Said Shang. He was about to run back out of the palace when it occurred to him that the three princesses may not be safe here.

"Um, listen." Started Shang. "It's not safe for you here. Come with me and we can make it so you're safe. There are a few men who can keep harm away."

"Sounds good." Said Mei. They followed Shang out of the palace when from behind a broken stone wall they heard whispers.

"Wait here." Whispered Shang to the princesses. He crept around and listened to their conversation. It was clearly the huns, Shang could tell by the gruffness in their voices.

"First we're going for the palace and when we find the emperor, ill kill him and take China." Shan Yu was saying, unaware of Shang's presence.

"Sir, what about that soldier?" asked a hun. "That fire cracker one that set off the avalanche?"

"We kill the emperor, find him and kill him too." Shan Yu answered. "Let's go." Before they moved. Shang grabbed the princesses by the wrists and pulled them to Mulan.

"There you are!" Mulan said as Shang ran up to her. "I was beginning to fear the worst. And, who may I ask are.."

"These are the emperor's daughters, Mei, Ting Ting and Su. They were in the guest palace and so I said that we could help keep them safe." Said Shang.

"Of course." Said Mulan, bowing her head.

"I found the huns." Shang said. "They're looking for the emperor and then they're coming for you, Mulan. It's a whole revenge thing for you destroying the hun army."

"You're Fa Mulan?" asked Mei. "We've heard of you. You should be careful, too. Chi Fu is looking for you so he can interrogate you about Shang's whereabouts."

"The huns are a bit down right behind a wall over by the row of remaining shops. Whast's this great plan of yours?" Shang asked.

"As soon as Yao gets here with the stuff I'll…"

"Here I am!" called Yao. He walked toward them carrying a brown sack filled with dresses and women's jewelry.

"This is perfect, Yao!" said Mulan. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. Yao, Ling, put on these dresses." Yao and Ling looked at each other.

"What?" asked Ling. "We'll look like girls!"

"Exactly." Said Mulan. "I need you to look like girls. Just, please do it. "

"Make Shang do it!" whined Yao. Shang fixed him with his best captain-like glare.

"I've got another job for Shang." Mulan said. Then it occurred to her that the princesses could come in to play.

"Your highnesses, How would you feel about becoming a part of this plan?" asked Mulan.

"As long as we don't have to kill anyone, we'd be glad to help." Answered Su.

"Great." Said Mulan. "Here's what we do…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Chi Fu and Fi Wan weren't looking for huns, they were looking for Shang and possibly Mulan.

"They have tangled with the wrong men." Said Fi Wan. They were out in front of the palace, with their eyes only looking for the two they were hunting down. Chi Fu hadn't liked Shang from the beginning. It was as much as a personality conflict, but it had grown by the day.

"I don't care how." Chi Fu said to Fi Wan. "I want that boy found."

"Forgive me, sir." Said Fi Wan. "But do you think that the emperor will let him go after he and Fa Mulan knew about the huns?"

"That isn't going to happen, because I will have killed both of them before news gets to him" Replied Chi Fu confidently. "They are traitors and I will not rest until they are writhing with the devil for their treason. Keep looking!" Fi Wan nodded and ran off to continue his scouting.

XXXXXX

Mulan's plan was about to be carried out. She motioned to the gang (who know looked like women) and they and the princesses followed Mulan into the street. Mulan was also in a dress, and they were within ear and eyeshot of the bunch of burly huns. Shang was hiding nearby with a sword. The women (or what looked like women anyway) made sure to show off the fancy jewelry they were wearing. As planned, it caught the eye of one of the huns. He gestured to three other huns. Shan Yu was headed for the palace. They didn't have much time.

The three huns snuck up behind Mulan, Ling, Yao, Ting Ting, Su and Mei and prepared to grab them to steal their jewelry. Mulan nodded to the gang.

"Now!" Mulan shouted. The three huns were startled and more so as Shang ran in and booted each one of them. Yao and Ling hurried the princesses away and Mulan joined Shang in the fighting. They eventually got the huns to the ground where Mulan took off her second sash to tie the huns' hands together. They smiled when they had them down. Their eyes met once again and they ran into each other's arms.

"Shang, back in the court," Mulan started. "Why did you put yourself in trouble for me? I don't deserve anything like that."

"I told you." Shang replied. "I love you, Mulan and I don't intend to let this ruin your life."

"But what about yours?" she asked. Just then Ling came back.

"Hey, um hate to break up the party but we've still got a country to save." He said.

"Oh. Right." Said Mulan as she and Shang ran with him into the palace to find Shan Yu.

Meanwhile, the princesses were still in the street.

"Do you know what that man's name is?" Mei asked. "The short one in red."

"I think I heard Yao or something." Replied Ting Ting. "Why?"

"Oh I don't know." Said Mei. "a handsome one, isn't he?"

"I think the large on in blue that went with father was pretty nice." Said Su. "I saw him and he stopped to talk with me." She giggled.

"Girls, let's not get into this, please." Said Ting Ting. "We're princesses and they are soldiers. Be realistic." The other two sighed.

"She's right." Said Su.

"Right now, we should focus on not getting killed, wouldn't you say?" asked Ting Ting. "Let's find somewhere safe. Follow me." She led them away, still not admitting that she was beginning to have a few feelings for the thin one known as Ling.

Chapter 10 will be up soon! I'd like reviews so I can see how many people are actually reading this. TTFN.


	10. misinterpeted plan

Chapter the tenth

Thanks for all my reviews. They're always helpful. I am including a few clips of a Mulan 2 song in this chapter. Sorry it took me such an eternally long time to post this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own no part of Disney's Mulan.

Mulan and Shang ran down the halls of the palace looking for Shan yu.

"Will you please tell me what you are going to do?" asked Shang, still unclear of the plan.

"I've sent Ling and Yao to look for him." Mulan answered. "We're going to wait until they lure him to us, thinking the emperor is this way. When he comes, we attack."

Shang smiled. It might have sounded crazy, but they were willing to try anything.

XXXXX

"We always get the worst jobs." Griped Ling. "We dress up like women, Chien Po plays guard. We search for big mean guy, Shang waits with Mulan."

"Ssh." Said Yao. "I hear something." There, around the corner stood Shan Yu. He was in the act of breaking down doors, looking inside every room for the two things he came for: the emperor and Mulan. Immediately, the gang did what Mulan had instructed. They noted that he was moving toward the east wing, which happened to be where the dungeon was located. They got to their feet and as silently as they could, they ran to Mulan and Shang.

"He's moving to the east side!" cried Yao upon reaching them.

"Mulan, if he's moving to the east side, that means the emperor is in more danger than before. The dungeon is the most easternly point in the palace." Shang said, relizing that they now had another problem to solve. Mulan's face fell.

"Aiya, I never thought of that." She said. "Okay, plan commences…now." The plan had begun.

XXXXXXXXXXX

During all this, Mei, Ting Ting and Su were squished uncomfortably into a broom closet. According to Ling, it was the safest place.

"Oof, get your elbow out of my mouth!" Said Su in annoyance.

"I can't help it." Said Mei. "Ting Ting's crushing my hand."

"I can no longer feel anything from the waist down." Said Ting Ting. "We've got to get out of here before we suffocate. On three, we'll all push against the door. One…two…WHOA!" Su and Mei already got it open and the three tumbled down onto the floor.

Mei looked out the door. Screams could still be heard. Everyone else was running around for the sake of their lives, battling death and pain. _How exciting!_ Thought Mei. It wasn't fair. Just because they were royalty everyone thought they were snobby and weak and needed constant protection. Why couldn't they ever do something brave or heroic?

"Girls, I've been thinking and personally, I'm sick of playing damsel in distress." Complained Mei. " I say we go out there and do more to help with this plan." Su and Ting Ting just looked at her, then at each other.

"No, huh?" Mei said quietly.

"Mei, we are the daughters of the emperor. Heroics are not what we're supposed to do. As much as I resent it, we were born to get married to a nobleman, have a few sons and sit and look pretty. And as much as I want to change it, there is nothing we can do to alter our path." Ting Ting explained, even though she really wanted to do what Mei had suggested.

"Ting Ting, maybe she's right." Said Su. "Maybe we could bust out of traditions just once. You know, save a day, not just be born with respect and honour, but actually earn it."

_I wanna be like other girls._

_Climb up a tree like other girls can_

_Just to be free like other girls_

_Get to be_

"You don't seem to get it." Said Ting Ting. "I want to do it as much as you, but that is not what princesses do." Su and Mei paid no attention to her.

_No escorts_

_No manners!_

_No nursemaids!_

_No worries!_

_No hands folded perfect_

_Like holding a lily._

Ting Ting looked at her sisters' hopeful faces and sighed.

"All right." She said. "Let's help them with their scheme, but if anyone asks, it was Su's idea." Mei nodded while Su scowled. They came out of the room and ran up to the group who were in the hall crouching ready with swords.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Ling. "I told you to stay in the broom closet!"

"We want to help." Said Ting Ting. "Please. There must be something we can do."

"He's coming! Stand ready!" called Yao. Instinctively, Ling pushed the three girls into the door of the room next to them.

"Sorry, Ting Ting but I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you." He said and closed the door. Ting Ting couldn't help but blush.

"Get ready." Said Mulan. "Here he is. One…two...NOW!" Yao, Shang, Ling and Mulan sprung from their feet onto the shocked Shan Yu. Mulan was using her Kung Fu as was Yao, and Shang and Ling went for his legs with the sword. He was a big man, but his strength was more surprising than his size.

"Filthy parasites!" he bellowed as he kicked wildly trying to shake Yao and Shang off. He reached down and grabbed Yao by the back of the neck and flung him off, knocking him against the wall. He flipped around to see Mulan, but did not bother to hurt her.

"What's this?" he asked mockingly. "a fight is not the place for little girls." Mulan was angered, but she did not allow her anger to take control of her. Suddenly, Shan Yu let out a sharp yell and turned down to his foot. Blood poured from a very deep cut that been given to him by Shang who was now standing up, slightly scared. Instantly, Shan Yu lifted him up by the throat against the wall. Shang started to gasp for air as Shan Yu's grip was so strong it was cutting off his air intake.

"Let go of him, you monster!" screamed Mulan as she flung herself at his back. Shan Yu turned to face her.

"Or what?" he asked. Mulan stared right back at him into his deep, yellow eyes.

"Well, I think that if I can take down your army, I can take you." She said as she pulled her hair back into a tight bun. Ping.

"The soldier form the mountains." Shan Yu said before dropping Shang and coming for Mulan. Shang thudded to the floor and Mulan, seeing the situation, took off like a rabbit.

"Yao, Ling go around the other way and block his path to the emperor. I'm going after Mulan." Shang sprinted after her and Yao and Ling went off.

Mulan was a good bit ahead of Shan Yu with another plan forming in her brain. She had lost Shan yu along the way an took a minute to stop and rest.

"Mulan!" Mulan jumped at the sound of her name. Behind her stood Shang.

"How are you planning to get us out of this?" he asked.

"I have another plan. Go to the fire tower and get me as many fireworks as you can." Shang nodded. "I'll hold Shan Yu off and lure him into the tower, got it? Now get the fireworks!" Shang sprinted back down the halls and into the street. He was completely out of breath, but he was to intent on finishing his mission to notice. He ran up to the firework vendor.

"I need all you strongest fireworks and please hurry the fate of China depends on it!" Shang said so fast it was hard to understand. The vendor nodded and handed Shang a huge basket of explosives.

"That'll be…" the vendor started to name his price.

"Sir, would you give me these without cost if they would save the country?" Shang asked.

"I guess so, but…" the vendor started to speak again, but once more Shang cut him off.

"Good. Much obliged." Said Shang as he ran back to the palace. The vendor was still staring after him in confusion.

"Nutcase." He muttered.

XXXXXXXX

Mulan, noticing that she needed Shan Yu to chase her to get rid of him, turned around and ran back. She ran until she heard hulking footsteps in front of her.

"He can't be far now-OOF!" Just then, she found herself face to face with Shan Yu. He raised his sword and as he brang it down, Mulan once again took off to the tower. Just as planned, he chased after her. He wasn't very fast because of his tremendous size so Mulan had the advantage and got far ahead of him. Mulan just needed to light the frieworks and get out. She didn't realize exactly how hard that was going to be.

XXXXXXXXX

Shang sprinted back into the palace into the princesses who had gotten up after the gang had left.

"What are you doing?" Mei asked, seeing him with an armful of fireworks.

"I have to get these to Mulan so she can set the tower off killing Shan Yu, but not herself." He explained hastily.

"What's the point in that?" asked Su. "There's already a bunch of fireworks in the tower. Ling, Yao and Chien Po are up there and planning to set them off to distract Shan Yu. It'll probably be happening pretty soon, so you should warn Mulan to get out of there." Shang dropped his explosives.

"Are you telling that unless I warn Mulan she's going to be blasted to a bloody death?" Shang asked.

"Yes. Exactly." Said Ting Ting. As soon as she had finished, Shang ran to the tower praying to is ancestors that everything would be okay.

XXXXX

Mulan and Shan Yu were battling it out. Mulan was cowering behind a pole anticipating his moves so she coould protect herself against his great strength. _Why isn't Shang here yet?_ She wondered. She was weakening and could not hold up much longer.

Meanwhile, The gang was in the firework room full of deadly explosives.

"Are you sure we can get out in time?" asked Chien Po nervously.

"We just light them and run away." Said Ling. "This will kill Shan Yu for sure."

"Are you sure no one else is in the tower?" asked Yao." The others nodded.

"Pretty sure. Now, how do you light these?"

XXXXX

Shang tore through the palace advising everyone he saw to get out of the palace. If they asked why, his answer was "that or be dead." He could see the steps of the tower.

XXXX

The gang figured out the lighting switch and set it to the first firecracker.

"Lets get out of here." Said Ling as they scurried Like mice down the steps into Shang.

"Where's Mulan?" asked Shang.

"we don't know." Said Ling. "We gotta get out of here. The thing is gonna blow."

"We can't! Mulan is still-" Just then, the whole of the tower blew sky high in a giant flash of red. The force was so powerful it sent The gang and Shang flying back against the wall. In seconds, all that remained of the east tower was a small pile of wood and charcoal and firework ends. Shang stared at the smoldering crater.

"Mulan…"

There's chapter 10. Hope u liked it. Please review!


	11. one last scheme

Chapter the eleventh

So sorry it took so long to update. I was really busy. I'm starting to wrap up this story, so only a few more chapters will probably be posted. I'm using a song here and it is not mine either. It is also property of disney.

Shang stared at the smoldering crater.

"Mulan…" It couldn't be. After all of this, she couldn't be dead. Shang began to get dizzy.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ling. "Shan Yu is dead. China is safe."

"Mulan. In. tower. Explode." Shang wasn't making sense to them. At their puzzled looks after listening to his babbling, he gave up and ran to the crater and petrified remains of the tower.

"Mulan!" he screamed. He started to dig wildly at the remains, hoping to find her safe. The gang of three still had no idea what he was doing, but knew something wasn't right because their usually serious friend was now rooting around like a wild animal. Just then, the princesses ran around the corner.

"Did you explode the tower?" asked Mei in a hurry. Yao failed to see a problem.

"Yes, isn't that what we were supposed to do?" he said.

"You fool!" said Ting Ting. " Fa Mulan was in it!" The gang was startled.

"No. that can't be." Said Ling. As they started to feel nauseated from what seemed like they had done, cries were heard from far away.

"Over there!" It was a few of Chi Fu's soldiers contented on finding Shang. Shang just looked at them.

"What are you doing?" said Su. "Run!" Shang looked down. The only reason he had ran in the first place was for Mulan. He shook his head.

"It doesn't matter now." He said. The other six could do nothing to persuade Shang to try to save his skin. Suddenly, from a door in the hall from the direction where the soldiers were coming from, an arrow whizzed by the soldiers.

"Huns!" they cried, not knowing that the huns were dead. "Run." And they ran back the way they came to report it to Chi Fu. The seven stunned people's eyes widened as Mulan stepped out of the door.

"You're okay!" Ling cried. "How did you do that?" Mulan smiled and walked up to Shang who was still too relieved to speak.

"The training I got turned out to be very useful." She said. "One thing I was taught to recognize was the sound of firecrackers. When I heard the wicks of the firecrackers starting to burn, I tripped Shan Yu, took his sword and used it to pin his cloak to the ground. Than I noticed a hall that led to the attic part of this room, and I ran like the wind." Of course, no one cared very much about how she did it, they were just too ecstatic that she was all right. Shang threw his arms around Mulan.

"Don't you ever, ever, ever do that again." He said. "I was so worried for you, Mulan." Mulan hugged him back.

"I promise." She said with a smile. Yao was impatient.

"Cute." He said. "but let's not forget that Chi Fu is still hunting Shang down like a rat and his intentions for when he's caught are not likely going to be pleasant. So let's move, huh?" They nodded, but before they could do anything a voice rang out,

"Stop In the name of the imperial council!" Suddenly, dozens of Chi Fu's soldiers jumped in and cornered all of them with arrows pointed at them, ready to fire if they made a false move. Fi Wan was at his side with a sinister sneer. Ling looked over his shoulder at the princesses who looked utterly terrified. He and the other two crept up to them. Behind Mei was a small door that they could sneak the princesses through.

"This way" he whispered to Ting Ting. He showed them through and Ting Ting sent Ling a last glance.

"I thank you, my brave soldier." She said before reaching out and kissing his cheek. With that, she turned and ran off with her sisters. Ling staggered back, spellbound. He was so happy he nearly forgot about the seriousness of the situation. Chi Fu and Fi Wan stepped toward Mulan and Shang.

"You didn't think you could get away that easily, did you?" he hissed. "You, men. Escort our friends here outside." He gestured to the gang of three. They were instantly removed from the scene.

"And you take him back to the dungeon before the beheading tomorrow morning." Some more men dragged Shang off. Mulan watched him go and stood there, powerless to help him. Her eyes stung and sorrow crashed inside of her. The emperor had been sent to the other palace after Mulan's plan was formed, so he was unable to do anything either. Shang was gone and Chi Fu was just deciding what he would do with Mulan so he wouldn't be in her way.

"Just throw her out with the others." He ordered. "She's too weak to do anything now." He came up to her and she raised her head to look him in the eye.

"Now do you see, snake?" he said. "You're a worthless woman. You are powerless against me. You are nothing. Take her away!"

_He's right _Mulan thought. Then she thought again of Shang.

"Wait!" she cried. Chi Fu turned to her. "I want to see Shang one last time." Chi Fu pondered it.

"All right." He said. "But one of my soldiers will accompany you." Fi Wan loosened his grip on her arm and dragged her down to where Shang was. It was the same cell where she and him had been on the day of their trial. Fi wan waited outside the door so they were alone in the dungeon. There was nothing Mulan could do to save him herself, and she knew that. She walked in.

"Shang?" she called quietly.

"Mulan!" he cried back. She came over and kneeled beside the bars of his door. He took her hands. "How did you get down here?"

"Chi Fu let me come to say goodbye." She said. Her voice faded at the end, for the concept made her want to burst into hysterical tears.

"Mulan, remember what I told you before." He said. She looked into this eyes. "If you hadn't done what you did, I never would have been blessed with knowing you, even if it has to end here.

_If I never knew you_

_If I never felt this love_

_I would have no inkling of_

_How precious life can be_

_If I never held you_

_I would never have a clue_

_How at last I find in you_

_The missing part of me_

_In this world so full of fear_

_Full of rage and lies_

_I can see the truth so clear_

_In your eyes_

_So dry your eyes_

_And I'm so grateful to you _

_I'd have lived my whole life through_

_Lost forever_

_If I never knew you_

Mulan could sense that every word he said he meant. How could it end like this? They had been through so much together and now because of her and what she did all that she loved was going to be murdered.

_I thought our love would be so beautiful_

_Somehow we'd make the whole world bright_

_I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong_

_All they'd leave us were _

_These whispers in the night_

_But still my heart is saying we were right_

They remembered all that they had done together. Mulan getting into squabbles on the first day of camp, than them meeting as children and that kiss they shared when everything looked dim. Of course, as they now knew, life is never so bad that it can't get worse. And now, it was worse than any of them would have thought possible.

_For if I never knew you_

_If I never knew this love_

_I would have no inkling of_

_How precious life can be_

A door opening interrupted the two. It was Fi Wan.

"Fa Mulan, you must leave." He said. She looked back at Shang and whispered,

"No matter what, I'll love you." With that, she rose and walked out, once more leaving Shang alone. He sighed and looked up at the sky. He started this for Mulan, and he planned to finish it for her, even if it meant his life being cut short.

_And I'm so grateful to you_

_I'd have lived my whole life through_

_Empty as the sky_

Fi wan dragged a grieving Mulan to the door and threw her onto the steps before slamming the door. She didn't bother to resist. She mounted Khan from the stables and rode him out into the middle of the square.

_Never knowing why_

Mulan and Shang both thought of each other and the love they felt.

_Lost forever_

_If I never knew you_

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, the Princesses stood inside the room Ling had shoved them into. They all felt terrible for Shang, Mulan and themselves.

"There goes our chance for heroics." Muttered Su. Ting Ting was indignant.

"This is not about us, right now." She said. "We have to think of something for Mulan and that guy. Any ideas?"

"Fresh out." Said Mei.

"Wait, I have an idea." Said Ting Ting. "First, let's find those soldiers." They leapt up and ran into the town square where the gang was lying in a heap.

"Get up and listen in." said Mei. The gang obeyed and hopped up. Just to be respectful to royalty, Chien Po said,

"We are honoured by your presence" and bowed. Su giggled, but Ting Ting was not in the mood.

"Cut it and pay attention." She said. Su scowled at her.

"Now, we all know that that poor guy is going to get executed if nobody does anything." Said Ting Ting. "But even we might not have enough power to second guess his sentence. There is risk in getting the emperor here. He might command the sentence to be carried out, or he might lift it. It's a fifty-fifty chance."

"We shouldn't risk it. " said Mei. "He does pay close attention to the law."

"But what else can we do?" asked Su. "We've never interrupted a beheading before and if Chi Fu overpowers us anyway, there's no telling what he would do. He's a sick, twisted man."

"I'm going to put this into perspective for you." Said Ting Ting. "If we do nothing, Shang will die, his family's honour will never be restored, we will have to live forever with the question of what would have happened if we had tried to stop it, and worst, poor Brave Fa Mulan will be heartbroken." They all nodded.

"They're perfect for each other, don't you think?" said Mei. Everyone agreed.

"So, are we ready?" asked Yao. They all nodded and ran off to time their scheme. It needed to be performed perfectly for it to work, and they didn't intend to settle for anything less.

Like? Hate? Somewhere in between? Please review! The next chapter will be up soon!


	12. The final battle

Chapter the twelfth

Hi, people. Thank you so much to my reviewers. The song I used in the last Chapter is called "If I never knew you" and it was cut from Disney's Pocahontas. And please excuse any spelling errors!

The sun rose the next morning. Mulan had briefly fallen asleep on Khan's sturdy back. When she awoke, she immediately buried her face back into Khan's neck. Today was the day of the execution. Inside Khan's little horse-sized brain, he could not believe Mulan was giving up on Shang.

In the jail cell, Shang also awoke with a sick feeling. In a matter of minutes, Fi Wan was In his cell with a spear to his back, ready to lead him outside. It was to take place on one of the platforms between sets of stairs in front of the palace.

News had spread like wildfire through the provinces that this was happening. Hordes of people came to watch the destruction of the once proud imperial captain, some thinking _serves you right and that girl should be up there with you, _but others were praying for something to happen to stop it.

Shang was being walked up to the platform. He could see Chi Fu standing there beside the executioner with a sharp ax in hand. He grimaced and continued toward it. _He won_, thought Shang as he saw Chi Fu's smile.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Mulan was still sitting on Khan, still feeling hopeless. She hopped off so she could water him as he needed. As she did so, he nudged her in the direction of the platform.

"Not a chance, Khan." She said. "It's over. Chi Fu won! He's going to die. It's all because of me." Once again, her eyes clouded over and she fell to her knees sobbing. Khan nuzzled her again. He may only have been a horse, but a very smart one at that. It hurt him to see his mistress so depressed. The Mulan he had known ever since he was a foal had never given up like this, and he wasn't about to let her now. He nudged and nudged her until she brought her head up.

XXXX

"Citizens of China!" called Chi Fu. "You are hear to witness the punishment of a dirty fugitive formerly from the Chinese army." A few soldiers dragged Shang out into view of the crowd. There were some cheers, but some calls for his release.

XXX

Mulan raised her head. She could hear his scrawny calls from the stables. Suddenly rage started to burn from somewhere inside her. She got to her feet and very slowly walked a few steps up.

"For treason and insubordination, the prisoner Li Shang will face execution by beheading!" Chi Fu cried out.

That did it. Mulan hopped on Khan and galloped to the platform. Shang was just being pushed down on the slab where he would meet his fate. Chi Fu grinned again.

Mulan jumped off Khan and raced up to the steps. Shang had no ounce of hope left.

_Goodbye, Mulan_. He whispered.

Mulan flew up the stairs. Chi Fu nodded the okay to the executioner. He just raised his ax when…

"Please, wait!" a shrill voice was heard. Mulan pushed through the crowd and dropped to her knees in front of Chi Fu, who was as startled as Shang was.

"Please sir," she begged. "I plead upon you to spare him. I'll do anything." Chi Fu looked disgusted.

"There's nothing you can do, you dishonorable urchin." He sneered. "Hold her back!" He knew this was only the least of what she could do, so he ordered Fi Wan to hold Mulan away. "There's no one to support you anyway." He added.

"No! Please no!" she yelled. Just then, another familiar voice entered the scene.

"Wrong! We support her." In stepped Ling, Yao and Chien Po. Chi Fu was enraged.

"You can't do anything! I overpower you!" he squealed.

"But Not us!" Heads turned again as Ting Ting, Mei and Su joined the chaos. Everyone was so startled, they forgot to bow. Ting Ting walked up to Chi Fu.

"Release him by the order of the princesses of the imperial city." She said, staring him right in the eye. Shang was still watching this, dumbfounded.

"Sorry ladies." Said Chi Fu. "I'm afraid you order cannot overpower mine. I am second in command and until one of you becomes empress, I still run the show." Mei and Su exchanged glances. To their dismay, he was right. Then Mei had a plan. She gestured to the gang and Ting Ting to keep Chi fu busy. Then she and Su slipped away and ran as fast as their dainty legs could carry them to the other palace.

Ting Ting was still saying anything that came to mind to buy her sisters some time. Mulan was noticing from the sidelines that she was getting nowhere and couldn't hold up much longer.

"Silence!" cried Chi Fu. "I'll do it myself!" with that, he walked over to the executioner and grabbed the ax and prepared to bring it down on Shang. Everyone's eyes widened and all of the loyal protesters gasped. Shang flinched when one last voice broke into it.

"Halt!" everyone looked to see the emperor, followed by his two daughters coming toward them. Chi Fu dropped his ax and everyone dropped into a bow. Mulan took this chance to wiggle free of Fi Wan's grasp.

"What is the meaning of this?" The emperor demanded of Chi Fu.

"Your majesty, I was carrying out a sentence of a traitor." He tried to explain.

"It is a law that all Sentences must be discussed with me before they are carried out." He said. "What was the crime?"

"Treason, your majesty." The emperor looked at Mulan whose head was still in a bow.

"Come forward, Fa Mulan." He said. Mulan gulped and stepped up. Fi wan Smirked.

"I've heard about your deeds, Fa Mulan." He said. "You stole your fathers armor. Ran away from home. Impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonoured the Chinese army, and destroyed my palace!" Mulan winced. This was worse than she had imagined.

"You and your commanding officer betrayed the army and the laws, soon to be joined by your fellow soldiers. You and Li Shang have done many things that could be interperted as insubordination-" Mulan cut him off.

"I know what I did was wrong, your excellency." She said. "But I beg of you to spare Shang. If it was not for him being with me, I would have given up long ago. Please let him go."

"I am not yet finished." Said the emperor. "Though, the two of you did disobey my laws, but you saved the lives of all the people in that pass in the mountains, and Li Shang saved my daughter from that hun as she tells me. That put together with your courage and strength has made the two of you the greatest heroes China will ever know." Mulan and Shang were startled by this, but more so when the emperor bowed his head to both of them. The emperor smiled.

"What's more is that I can see the love the two of you share, and not in one hundred dynasties would I get in the way of that." Mulan beamed with joy.

"I hereby lift the death sentence and proclaim honour to the Fa and Li families and also to their brave comrades and to my brave daughters also!" The emperor proclaimed. "Let him go." With that, Shang was set free and Mulan flung herself into his arms. They came closer and kissed again. They pulled away and Shang looked into Mulan's eyes

_And I'm so grateful to you_

_I'd have lived my whole life through_

_Empty as the sky_

_Never knowing why_

_Lost forever_

_If I never knew you_

They hugged each other tightly as the emperor turned to Chi Fu.

"As for you." He said. "You did not consult me in the sentencing and that is an offense. Guards, seize him!" two guards came and grabbed the raging and screaming Chi Fu and dragged him into the dungeons.

Just then, Mulan saw a few familiar faces pushing through the crowd.

"Mama! Baba! Granny, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"What, you think we wouldn't find out about all that's been happening?" asked Fa Li.

"Yeah, and we wanted to meet that guy you've been hanging out with. Where is he?" asked Granny. Mulan giggled and grabbed Shang by the hand.

"Mama, Father, Granny, this is Shang. He was my captain and stayed with me when I was discovered in the mountains." Shang bowed to Fa Zhou.

"No, young man." He said. "We should be bowing to you. You would have given you life for Mulan and we thank you most graciously."

"Sir, after all Mulan has done, it was the least I could do to return the favor." He said modestly. Mulan held his hand tightly.

"And on that note," the emperor cut in, "I have one last task for the two of you." Mulan frowned slightly. Another task? She would've liked to just go home with Shang.

"And that is that you be wed at once and live happily." Mulan was ecstatic. She and Shang looked at her father for his approval.

"You have my blessing." He said. Their friends cheered and granny, seeing that Shang was going to be part of their family, hugged him around the knees, since that was as far as she could reach.

"Huzzah!" she cried. " Ancestors, bless you all." Mulan and Shang hugged each other again. At last nothing else could tear them apart.

XXXXXX

Later that month, Mulan and Shang were pronounced husband and wife. Ling, Yao and Chien Po along with the emperor and the princesses were honoured guests at the wedding. It was then that it was revealed that the Princesses had marriages coming up also-to the gang. There were many congratulations extended and things were finally going right for everyone. The gang had found the girls of their dreams, the princesses had done a heroic deed which they had always wanted to do, and Mulan and Shang could at last be happy together.

After the series of weddings, Mulan and Shang moved back to his home, which, coincidently, was located not very far away from Mulan's family home. She and the gang were very happy at that because many visits could be paid to her family and friends. The gang would be living in the palace with the princesses, but they often visited to share their happiness with their friends.

Only shortly after Mulan and Shang had moved in, Mulan was sitting in the main room when Shang came out with a large canvas.

"What's that?" she asked as he dragged it out.

"It's my old portrait." He said. And indeed it was. He was, just as he told, pictured falling off a stool. Mulan couldn't help but laugh. But though it was like that, he hung it up anyway. Mulan didn't understand.

"I thought you hated that picture." She said.

"I'm not done yet." He said back. Out of a cloth sack he pulled out a small portrait of Mulan and put it beside his picture.

"There." He said. "Now it's perfect."

"Where did you get that?" Mulan asked.

"Your grandma" he answered. "She told me to keep it with me so I can always be reminded of how much I love you." Mulan smiled and embraced him. And Mulan silently agreed that now life really was perfect. Finally Shang could hang up even a picture of himself as poor as the one that hung with pride upon the family mantle.

_And I'm so grateful to you_

_I'd have lived my whole life through_

_Lost forever_

_If I never knew you_

**THE END**

Once again, I want to extend thanks to my loyal reviewers.

Angel452, Cluelessangel, king of the rock, Abby-Chan, scarlet emerald, Roguefan212000, Mulan 2 rocks, mii-chan1, Canadarulz, Chou ming, phantom hobbit, Big harry potter fan, Katyrose, Mizu-ryuuseisu, thanks very much for all the reviews! I appreciate them all. You guys are great.

Please review this chapter too. Hope you enjoyed it!

Pepe, ok


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